Reflections on the International Women’s Day March in Grand Rapids

It was a beautiful sunny day on Saturday, with an estimated two thousand people who showed up to Rosa Parks Circle for International Women’s Day.

There were lots of signs and flags, and lots of speakers who addressed a number of issues from reproductive justice to labor struggles, the Palestine liberation struggle, US militarism, transphobia, mass deportation and environmental justice.

It was difficult to hear many of the speakers, since the sound system wasn’t great and the ice rink at Rosa Parks Circle prevented people from getting close to the speakers. There were a few information tables and eventually a march that began around 1:30pm. 

There was upbeat energy emanating from the crowd, and lots of people embracing each other and sharing stories throughout most of the rally. No doubt people left the event feeling inspired and hopeful about moving forward.

One of the early speakers was State Rep. Kristian Grant. She talked about what is happening in Lansing and that she was fighting for us in the State Legislature. She also said that she doesn’t have any more West Michigan Nice in her, nor does she have anymore thoughts and prayers, but that she is ready to burn shit down. (You can listen for yourself) While I would welcome this reality, this is not who Rep. Grant has been in recent years as a State Representative. Rep. Grant failed the statewide coalition of tenants, known as the Rent is Too Damn High, by not fighting for the 10 pieces of legislation that tenants we demanding last fall. It should also be mentioned that Rep. Grant also took money from the Michigan Realtors Association PAC. I find it hard to believe that Rep. Grant is fighting for us and I don’t believe for a second that she is ready to burn shit down. 

Then I saw a sign that read, “I can’t believe that we still have to protest.” The sign was being held by a white woman. The sign reminded me of the title of a book from the abolitionist Angela Davis, Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement. In that book, Davis discusses the importance of movement building and how all of the issues we are confronted with are intertwined.

The march began where Breanna Taylor Way, Pearl Street and Monroe Avenue converge. There was a GRPD cop car parked in the street at that intersection, preventing people from going east on Pearl Street. At that point it became clear that the organizers must have obtained a permit from the City to hold the protest. This dynamic became even more clear after those who were marching in the street were accompanied by a GRPD cruiser. I raise this point since the GRPD has cracked down hard on BIPOC organizers over the past year, specifically when people have taken to the streets for Patrick Lyoya, Immigrant justice or to call for the US to stop sending billions to Israel during their genocidal campaign. 

The fact that the GRPD did not have a very strong presence at the rally on Saturday, also suggests that they knew that there would be no disruption of business as usual by the organizers or the fact that the rally was primarily attended by white people. For years, when BIPOC people attend actions, even 50 – 100, the GRPD presence has been overwhelming and often oppressive.

I get that people who attended to rally/march on Saturday are upset about what the Trump Administration has done since January 20th. People not only have a right to be pissed off, they ought to be pissed off. However, this shit show is a constant for Black people, Indigenous people, immigrants, the working class, queer & trans people, those with disabilities and anti-war activists who are confronting US imperialism. 

• During the Biden Administration there were on average 1,200 people killed a year by the police, and Black people are 2.8 times more likely to get killed by cops than white people, according to Mapping Police Violence.
• The Biden Administration deported more people in a four year period than were deported during the first Trump Administration.
• Last summer in an article I wrote about the economy, I mentioned a recent ALICE report. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. In that people it stated that 41% of Michigan households live paycheck to paycheck, but that number goes up to 47% for Grand Rapids households. This means that nearly half of the households in Grand Rapids are living paycheck to paycheck!
• People were livid when President Trump scolded Ukrainian President Zelensky, but where was the outrage when Biden embraced Netanyahu during the Israeli genocidal campaign against Palestinians, along with providing billions in weapons that were used to kill families, women and children?

What does it take to get people, particularly white people, to empathize with the struggle of BIPOC, immigrant, queer and trans people? Yes, there was a great turnout at the International Women’s Day rally on Saturday, but where were those people when we were fighting to defund the GRPD, to demand justice for Patrick Lyoya, to demand an end to missing and murdered indigenous people, when the Michigan Democrats failed to vote for driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants or in the fight for trans rights? I say these things not to chastise, but to provide proper context for how we might build a real resistance movement for the future.

Freedom is a constant struggle and we can’t just show up when we are directly affected. As someone who is also white, I invite other white people to practice solidarity and to show up when BIPOC, queer and immigrant organizers are making demands and fighting for justice. Challenge your own comfort, be an accomplice to other people’s liberation struggles, and take risks.